Gravitational Forces
Gravitational Forces
Key Terms
- Gravity: A force of attraction between all mass, particularly evident between large bodies such as the Earth and Moon.
- Mass: The amount of matter in an object. Immune to changes in volume or density.
- Weight: The force of gravity acting on a mass. Changes with the strength of the gravitational field.
- Gravitational field strength (g): The force of gravity per unit mass at a point in a gravitational field.
Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation
- Every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force directed along the line of centres for the two objects.
- This force is proportional to the product of the masses of the two objects and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the centres of the two objects.
- The mathematical representation is: F = G(m1 * m2) / r^2
- F is the force of gravity (measured in newtons)
- G is the gravitational constant
- m1 and m2 are the masses of the objects
- r is the distance between the centres of the two objects
Gravitation and Weight
- An object’s weight refers to the force with which it is pulled toward the centre of the Earth due to gravity.
- The weight can be calculated using W = mg, where:
- W is weight (measured in newtons)
- m is the mass of the object (measured in kilograms)
- g is the gravitational field strength (measured in N/kg)
- On Earth, g is approximately 9.81 N/kg. Therefore, an object with a mass of 1 kg has a weight of 9.81 N on Earth.
Gravitational Field Strength
- Gravitational field strength is the force of gravity per unit mass.
- It varies based on location, being strongest at the surface of an object and decreasing as you move further away.
- The formula to compute gravitational field strength is: g = F/m, where:
- g is the gravitational field strength (measured in N/kg)
- F is the gravitational force (measured in newtons)
- m is the mass of the object experiencing the force (measured in kilograms)
Importance of Understanding Gravitational Forces
- Gravitational forces are fundamental to many aspects of everyday life and scientific study, from how objects fall to the ground to the prediction of planetary orbits.
- Understanding gravity and its effects can help solve real-world problems, such as the construction of buildings and bridges, and it also forms the basis for exploring other areas of physics, such as relativity.